How to Understand Consciousness:
An online video game. How it works:
The individual player sees a finite amount of the game world. Only that part that he can see is actually processed. Everyone else has a similar situation for whatever they are able to view. Everything else is just taken for granted, and kept within the memory of the server.
Players: Us
Server: Consciousness
Yes, the server could exist just as well as a blank server and just sit there content to be a server, without players incarnating inside it and interacting within it.
But that wouldn't be any fun, would it?
Just like in some video games, there are ways to cheat this "reality" into giving you what you want.
Since the system is based on your unconscious computer asking the server for what the conscious player wants, and the server giving it to the unconscious computer to then be given to the player, it is possible to raise your awareness higher (i.e. go higher up the coding chain) and eventually hack out a special thing for you (or someone else).
Some people think of this as martial arts superpowers. Others think of this as casting a spell, others as manifesting an intention.
Regardless, we are all in this video game, and in the end it explains why video games are often a waste of time: life is a video game anyway, so why go further into the world of illusion?
Also, bake your noodle on this: No video game is unlimited in its scope like this universe is. But technically, you can bend the rules there, just like here.
Not only that, but there's actually quite a lot of limitations in this universe, meaning we there is yet another level above this one, where we can bend the rules again.
Think of any dreams you've had, and how they felt a little on-rails unless you were lucid. Remind you of a video game at all?
Maybe we all used to be video game characters of some sort or another before becoming human beings?
Then, start thinking about the potential of upgrading our hardware...
If we are willing to make mental devices (essentially writing our own programs) to assist us in this game, then we will be able to have a very easy time within the multiversal life of mysticism (think a spiritual Internet: just as exciting, just as dangerous, except your real life is on the line).
Have fun!
~ David